The ironic sense of it is palpable, Helen. Who else can make a game of it? A. Leon Polhill, Gator "I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know." - Mark Twain
________________________________ From: Helen Huntley <[email protected]> To: gatortalk <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, May 31, 2012 9:56:48 AM Subject: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] Gainesville SUN GatorNews of Destin SEC Meetings, For 5/31, Courtesy of SHANE So how did we get so lucky to draw Kentucky as our permanent basketball opponent? On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 9:07 AM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: No consensus on football slate > > >SEC Commissioner Mike Slive says that the league's football coaches talked >about >scheduling scenarios on Wednesday. (The Associated Press) >By Robbie Andreu >Gainesville SUN Staff writer >Published: Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 6:01 a.m. >Last Modified: Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 12:11 a.m. > > >DESTIN — Adding two new schools has added some excitement to the SEC. It's >also >created some confusion in terms of scheduling in football and basketball. >The league's basketball coaches seem to have figured it out. They have reached >a >consensus. The football coaches apparently have not two days into the SEC's >Spring Meetings. >While the basketball coaches have proposed a new 18-game schedule that will >include one permanent opponent and four rotating opponents, the football >coaches >have yet to reach a consensus on what schedule format is best now that the >league has expanded to 14 teams. > >“There are a lot of issues going on there (with proposed scheduling),” Georgia >coach Mark Richt said after Wednesday's league meetings. “There was no >consensus. There was no, ‘Everybody thought this or everybody thought that.' > >“We're not saying anybody is right or wrong. Everybody's got their own opinion >on what's best for their school.” >The football coaches have been debating three formats: 6-1-1 (six division >games, one permanent opponent and one rotating opponent from the opposite >division); 6-2 (six division games and two rotating opponents); and a >nine-game >SEC schedule. >At day's end, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said there is a leader in the >clubhouse — the 6-1-1 format — after the coaches met with the athletic >directors >Wednesday afternoon. >“Our coaches were really impressive and they came in and had a very thoughtful >sharing session with our athletic directors, talking about the various >formats,” >Slive said. “They shared the complexities of developing a format, the same >complexities our athletic directors have been sharing over the past several >months. >“Our athletic directors will have to think it through. If they're ready on >Friday, they'll decide on a format. If not, they'll look some more. I think >there is a leader in the clubhouse. At some point, a decision will be made.” >Opinions were all over the place after the coaches met with the ADs on >Wednesday. >While Richt said there was no consensus among the 14 coaches, LSU's Les Miles >said there was, that most of the coaches like the proposed 6-2 format, where >there are six division games and two rotating opponents with the opposite >division. > >The 6-2 format would eliminate permanent opponents from the opposite division >— >and eliminate (on an annual basis) some of the SEC's most traditional >rivalries, >like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia. >“I'm trying to represent the room that's not here,” Miles said. “I would say >the >majority would be for that (the 6-2 format).” >Richt and Tennessee coach Derek Dooley quickly contradicted Miles, saying they >both support the 6-1-1 format that would keep the league's long-standing >rivalries intact. >“I prefer 6-1-1,” Richt said. “What happened was everybody has got their >opinion >because everybody is different. Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, their >in-state rivals (Georgia Tech, FSU and Clemson, respectively) are out of >conference. That's a big game. >“Some schools, they don't have an in-state rival, some have one within league >play. For me, 6-1-1 makes the most sense. Some people think the rivalry games >are really important. With 6-2, you lose Georgia-Auburn. My sentiment, to be >real clear, is we should play Auburn.” >Miles' athletic director, Joe Alleva, said the 6-1-1 format is favored by the >athletic directors and predicted it would be approved Friday. >“As of right now I think that's probably what's going to happen,” Alleva said. >“I think there's going to be some more discussion to go to a 6-2 model, but I >don't think there's enough votes in the room for a 6-2 model. >“Even though it's unfair and inequitable, I think (6-1-1) will still pass. If >you're going to do that then you should just count the games within the >division >for the division winner. But that doesn't have any traction, either.” >The argument (on all sides) will be passed onto the league presidents and >chancellors today. >The coaches did seem to agree on one thing Wednesday: a nine-game SEC schedule >probably is not the way to go. >“I'm not interested in nine,” Richt said. >Other coaches echoed that sentiment. >While the football coaches were having a hard time agreeing on a new schedule >format Wednesday, the basketball coaches came up with their proposal that will >be voted on Friday. >The new 18-game SEC basketball schedule will feature one permanent opponent >and >four rotating opponents (that will change annually). Each team will play eight >league opponents only once. >“The athletic directors still have to finalize it, but I think we're pretty >much >there,” Slive said. “It will be finalized Friday. I don't think there is any >question about that.” >Florida's permanent opponent will be Kentucky. The other permanent opponents >will be Alabama-Auburn, Missouri-Arkansas, Mississippi-Mississippi State, >Vanderbilt-Tennessee, South Carolina-Georgia and LSU-Texas A&M. >UF coach Billy Donovan said he isn't sure how the decision was reached to make >UF and Kentucky permanent opponents (meaning they will play a home-and-home >series every year). >“I don't know how that all worked out,” Donovan said. >As part of the new schedule format, the top four teams in the league at the >end >of the season will receive double byes in the SEC Tournament, which will begin >a >day earlier (Wednesday) now. >Georgia coach Mark Fox said the new format likely will be reviewed again after >the season. >“We're going to do a lot of things for the first time with a 14-team league >that >we may look back a year from now and say, ‘That was a great idea.' “ Fox said. >“We may do some things where we didn't see that coming and we may want to >change >our thought.” > > > > > > >SEC coaches support player pay > > >South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier, shown in this July 20, 2011 >file photo, presented a proposal to the athletic directors Wednesday that >would >pay certain athletes between $3,500 to $4,000 annually. >Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun >By Robbie Andreu >Gainesville SUN Staff writer >Published: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 6:20 p.m. >Last Modified: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 6:20 p.m. > > >DESTIN -- South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier's proposal a year ago to pay >college football players died a quick death at the SEC Spring Meetings. >But he's trying again. >With unanimous support from the other 13 league coaches, Spurrier presented a >proposal to the athletic directors Wednesday that would pay certain athletes >between $3,500 to $4,000 annually. Spurrier reiterated what he said a year >ago, >that much of the money would come from the coaches, if necessary. >“It's very similar to last year,” Spurrier said. “We're trying to get extra >money for living expense, academic expense, game-related expense to our >players >because of the tremendous amount of money -- billions -- they're bringing. >“We as coaches believe they are entitled to a little more than room, books, >board and tuition. Again, we as coaches would be willing to pay it if they >were >to approve it to where our guys could get approximately get three, four >thousand >bucks a year. It wouldn't be that much, but enough to allow them to live like >normal student-athletes." >The NCAA is considering a proposal to pay athletes $2,000. The SEC coaches' >proposal could double that total. >"That's correct,” Spurrier said. “We think they need more and deserve more. >It's >as simple as that." >Spurrier was asked about the complexities of paying 85 scholarship football >players. >"It's a complicated formula,” Spurrier said. “I don't want to get into all >that, >but it would be a way for football players to get approximately $3,500 to >$4000 >for the entire year to live like a normal student-athlete. It's not a lot, >considering how much they bring in, but we'll see if it can go anywhere. >"(Commissioner Mike Slive) is usually supportive and he'll pass it on and see >where it goes I guess." >The proposal will go before the league presidents and chancellors today. >No SOS proposal on divisions >Spurrier has been adamant recently about his belief that the division winners >in >football each season should be determined by the record within the division >(and >not include games against opposing divisions.) >Several other coaches have said they also liked the idea, but the coaches did >not come up with a proposal this week. >“We didn't propose a definite way,” Spurrier said. “We just sort of talked >about >it, different ways to do it.” >Yeguete healthy, in France >Florida forward Will Yeguete, who missed the final eight games of the season >with a fractured foot, has fully recovered, UF coach Billy Donovan said. >Donovan >said Yeguete has returned to his native France for the summer. >“He's doing good. He's fully recovered,” Donovan said. “ We've gone >drastically >slower with him simply just because it's been so much time. I would say that >right when we finished the NCAA Tournament he was doing pool workouts and was >able to jog a little bit. In the last month of school he started to do some >more >cutting, moving and shooting. They've gone really slow. >“The biggest concern was since he was going back to France they wanted to >really >make sure that nothing was done here at Florida rehab wise that if he got set >back he would have to find rehab in France. >“Our doctors and trainers felt very comfortable that when he left that he was >in >a good place physically where he could actually start to do some running, some >playing and shooting.” >Donovan said Yeguete would be back in Gainesville at the end of June along >with >the rest of UF players. >“These guys will come back to summer school (Summer B),” Donovan said. “We >have >that rule now where we can work our guys out two hours a week, so (Yeguete) >will >be involved with that.” -- > >GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions >2008 National Football Champions | >Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), >Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- Helen Huntley (727) 823-3801www.helenhuntley.com -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
